Clay-Sawdust Ceramic Pot Filter (Potters for Peace Design)¶

Ceramic Filtration • Est. CapEx: Low-cost / Locally fabricated

Technical Overview¶

A porous ceramic water filter made from a mixture of clay and sawdust (or other combustible material) fired to create microscopic pores that trap pathogens and sediment. It is a low-cost, field-tested solution for household water treatment in developing regions, with open-source manufacturing guides available.

Key Specifications & Engineering Parameters¶

Parameter	Specification
Category	Ceramic Filtration
Capital Cost	Low-cost / Locally fabricated
Primary Mechanism	Water flows through the ceramic pot by gravity. Physical filtration occurs when pores (0.6-3.0 µm) trap bacteria and protozoa. Colloidal silver coating provides additional antimicrobial action by disrupting pathogen cell membranes. Adsorption on clay surfaces also helps remove some contaminants.
Target Scale	Household / Village Cluster
Standard Lifespan	10 - 20 Years

Engineering Trade-Offs¶

✅ Advantages⚠️ Limitations

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Cross-Reference & Interactive Tools¶

Need to evaluate this technology for your specific field site? Run the WhatWater.info Selector Engine to compare it against 100+ alternative solutions.